Column | Grand Rapids police chief meets tragic end

The Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune wrote a biography of Police Chief Roland Silas "Todd" Payne in 1922, but it was incomplete. They did not have his story's ending.

Payne, born Oct. 25, 1874, in the town of Seneca, attended school in Centralia until age 14, then worked at pulp mills both here and Tomahawk, and even logged in the woods for the Daly & Sampson Lumber Co.

In 1912 he took the civil service exam and became a Grand Rapids police officer. In 1917, he was appointed police chief, a position he would hold until his death on Nov. 10, 1939.

That November, Robert Noel, 17, of Dearborn, Mich., and Nelson Pasha, 14, of Mosinee, stole a car in Wisconsin Rapids and were apprehended in Plymouth, Ind., when they ran out of money and gas.

Chief Payne, Undersheriff Bluett and Sheriff Henry Becker took Becker's car to return the boys for trial. Returning, Becker was driving the stolen car, far behind his car with the boys and other two officers.

At 8 p.m., 10 miles south of Adams, Noel suddenly shot twice, one bullet going through the car seat and into Bluett's jacket. While Bluett stopped the car, Payne jumped into the rear seat to subdue the boys. Noel hit him on the head with a flashlight. Payne slumped down. The boys quickly overtook the officers and handcuffed them together.

The youths took the other weapons in the car, along with money from both men, then after driving further north, turned and went south again, stopping near a tavern and dragging Payne and Bluett from the car. They notified the cabin keeper there were two men who had an accident and he should help them.

It was too late. Payne was dead. Two doctors would later confirm the blow to the head and the exertion of tussling with the boys had caused heart failure.

An all-points bulletin went out and Michigan police discovered the abandoned car in the Upper Peninsula. After a night in the woods in freezing temperatures, with law enforcement surrounding them, the two teens surrendered after a warning shot was fired.

On Nov. 14, the boys were arraigned and preliminary hearings set with bail put at $2,500 each.

Pasha was sentenced to Green Bay Reformatory for seven years, until age 21. Noel was given three to 10 years in state reformatory for armed assault and robbery, intent to rob or murder, stealing a automobile, and driving a car without the owner's consent.

In 1943, Noel stole a piece of gas pipe and assaulted two guards while trying to escape. Foiled, he was transferred to Waupun. In late 1944, Noel was allowed on the prison farm and the 22-year-old simply walked away. His escape was short-lived as in January 1945, he was apprehended in New Mexico and extradited back to Wisconsin.

Payne's funeral was so large it was held at Lincoln field house. Members of the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association were pallbearers. Payne, 65, had served as police chief for 22 years.